Prime Minister Joseph Muscat asked this morning whether Simon Busuttil would ask Francis Zammit Dimech to resign following reports that he could be among those charged in relation to the death of a worker on the site of the Seabank Hotel in Mellieha. Dr Zammit Dimech was a non-executive director of the hotel at the time. The worker died when a ceiling collapsed.
Speaking on One Radio, Dr Muscat said he would not go into the merits of the case. But once the PN had wanted Justice Minister Owen Bonnici to resign over a simple traffic accident, what would happen now, using the same yardstick?
NEW UNIVERSITY - NO PN POSITION YET
Turning to the decision on the location of the American University of Malta, Dr Muscat said the way the government had handled the controversy contrasted with the way how the former government was stubborn on the building of the new Parliament.
Dr Muscat said the PN had still not issued its position or the governemnt decision announced last week, but the fact that the issue was off the front pages showed there were no disagreements. This was a fair decision and a double victory for the south of Malta.
The government had admitted that it could have initially handled the issue better. In contrast to the former government in the way it handled the building of the new Parliament, the present governemnt paused, listened to the people and achieved a win-win situation.
The government thus achieved its purpose of attracting the university investment, while listening to the people and ending controversy. The project would help in the regeneration of Marsascala and Cottonera. That the decision was announced on the third anniversary of Dom Mintoff's passing was a gift to the people of the locality, he said.
IVF LAW PROPOSALS
Dr Muscat said the contrast between the PL and the PN was also shown in the way how the Labour women's section last week issued proposals for amendments to the IVF law (including surrogacy and freezing of embryos). The PN criticised the proposals, but did not make its own. The government, he said, would discuss everything with everyone, and not just criticise, as the PN did.
RATINGS
Dr Muscat also referred to the A rating given to Malta by Fitch on Friday, saying this was the result of tough decisions taken by the government.
Malta's finances, he said, were treated in the same way as a family treated its money. Rather than problems and debts future generations would inherit wealth and opportunities.
PN REACTION
The Nationalist Party in a reaction to Dr Muscat's question on whether Dr Zammit Dimech would be made to resign, said that if Dr Muscat wanted to be taken seriously, he should have forced Justice Minister Owen Bonnici when he was taken to court for injuring a person while driving his own car.
He should also had demanded the resignation of Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon over the Gaffarena case, and the resignation of Chris Cardona, Ian Borg, Anton Refalo and Helena Dalli, all involved in various scandals.
He should also have acted against former Acting Commissioner Ray Zammit for his dealings with Mr Gaffarena and he should also have himself stepped down over the Cafe' Premiere.